The Duke’s Twin Lust by Lorena Owen

Chapter Ten

They walked across the grounds, past the stables and the main manor and onto the green fields. Amelia held on to the duke’s arms as she walked, aware of the surprise on the faces of the maids they passed by. This had to be odd for them, she thought, seeing their duke and duchess take a stroll for the first time.

“Your Grace,” Amelia said. “How are the people?”

The duke’s brows were furrowed when he looked at her. “The people?” he asked.

“Yes,” Amelia said, waving a hand over the fields. “How are the tenants? Are they doing well?”

The confusion was evident on the duke’s face now.

Amelia felt a slight alarm. “Did I say something wrong, Your Grace?”

“It’s just… you’ve never cared about being a duchess. You’ve never asked about the people’s welfare before.”

Amelia felt relief flow through her. “Perhaps I just didn’t know how to ask.”

“And why not?” the duke said.

“You can be quite intimidating, sometimes,” Amelia said. She did not mean that, not really, but for some reason, she wanted to see him laugh again.

He gave a slight chuckle, and she felt her heart warm at the sound. “I think I’m the least intimidating man I know,” he said.

“You would be wrong, Your Grace,” Amelia replied. “You are quite intimidating.”

He stopped walking, turning to stare down at her. “Do you really mean that?” he asked.

Amelia nodded, a slight smile on her face.

“Is that why you did not so much as smile at me during the first month of our marriage? Except, of course, for when you were making a snide comment.”

Amelia felt the beginnings of confusion start to creep up in her. She still had no idea why Lady Gillingham was the way she was, and she was no close to figuring out. If she knew why, perhaps she would be better able to answer the duke. But now, she just stared at him, not knowing what to say.

“Christiana?” he called.

Amelia cast her mind far and wide, finally settling on, “Well, I can be quite intolerable when in a new place.”

“I see,” Ernest said, sounding like he didn’t believe her. “I’m glad you’re changing, though. I was quite certain I would have to live in a war between you and my sister forever.”

Amelia forced a smile. “I should hope not. It would make me a terrible wife indeed, if I can’t so much as get along with your sister.”

“I absolutely agree,” Ernest said. “But I hope your days of suppressed anger are far behind you.”

Amelia hesitated, recalling what Mary said. It was going to be quite difficult for the duke and Rebecca, if they adjusted to Amelia for a few months, before Lady Gillingham came sliding back into their lives with her awful behaviour. What would they make of Lady Gillingham, then? Would they think she was back to normal after suffering a shock with the accident, or would they think another incident had affected her and caused her to change back?

Perhaps she could get Lady Gillingham to be just a little nicer to her family, Amelia thought. A second later, she almost burst out laughing. Lady Gillingham did not seem like a person that appreciated being told what to do, particularly by a commoner. She was not going to take lightly to Amelia’s suggestion.

Amelia looked up at the handsome, hopeful face of the duke. She wanted to say something that would not completely assure him of the permanence of her changed behaviour, but somehow, she just couldn’t. She couldn’t bring herself to squash his hope.

Lady Gillingham would know what to do when she came back, Amelia told herself. For now, all Amelia needed to do was convince the duke he had a slightly tolerable wife.

“I can assure you my days of suppressed anger are indeed behind me,” Amelia said.

She saw the duke’s face fill with hope, and for some reason, her stomach bubbled with joy. Why did it make her happy to make him happy? She did not know.

“I’m glad to see you’re finally beginning to see this place as your home,” the duke said.

“Yes, I am,” Amelia replied truthfully, her grip tightening on the duke’s arm. It was easily the best place she’d ever lived.

The duke gave a slight nod, staring down at her with an unreadable expression. Amelia felt her stomach twist in discomfort. She had the feeling that his piercing blue eyes could see through her.

“You’ve failed to answer my question, Your Grace,” she said, trying to shift his gaze away from her.

“Ah, yes,” the duke said, as they resumed walking. “They are not doing so well, actually.”

Amelia stared up at him. “Why not?” she asked.

“The past winter was long and rough,” the duke revealed. “The planting season was rather short, and most annual plants were damaged during the winter time. The farmers still have some grains, of course, but we are not certain if it would last them till the next planting season.”

“I’m sorry,” Amelia said. It seemed to be a source of great concern to the duke, judging from the strain he put on his face. “Is there anything we can do?”

“Only hope for a better season this year,” the duke said simply. “The farmers are not having an easy time at the moment.”

“I’m truly sorry,” Amelia said again. She meant it. Her parents had toiled away at the fields for years, and she knew first-hand how bad some years got. They did not have much to eat in those bad years, and Amelia could still remember the nights of hunger she went through.

“We have to do something,” Amelia said, resolute. “We could give them some grains. We have them saved up, don’t we?”

A brief look of surprise flitted across the duke’s face before he said, “Yes, we do, but there is not enough to go around while feeding ourselves. It was truly a hard season, Christiana, both in and out the manor.”

“I suppose we could share the grain with the poorest of them,” Amelia said. “That would make a difference, wouldn’t it? If you’re too busy, I should like to do it myself.”

The duke’s eyes widened. “You would do that?” he asked.

Amelia nodded. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. I just didn’t realise you cared so much.”

Amelia felt a wave of sympathy for him. He must have thought he was stuck in a loveless marriage forever, doomed to carry on the responsibilities of the both of them.

Well, he was partly right, she told herself. The real Lady Gillingham just didn’t care.

But Amelia did. And while she was here, she was going to help as much people as she could.

“Of course I care,” Amelia said. “I am the duchess, and it is my concern as much as it is yours to take care of the people under our jurisdiction.”

The duke nodded, smiling. “That it is,” he said.

“You think quite little of me,” Amelia said, more to herself than him.

The duke seemed taken aback. “I do? How so?”

“Whenever I want to do a slightly responsible thing, you respond with surprise. Was I such a terrible wife?”

The duke stopped walking for a second time, turning to take her hands in hers. Amelia felt herself shiver from the pleasure of his touch.

“I apologise, Christiana,” he said, a contrite look on his face. “Your transformation surprises me, that is all. It has never occurred to me that this could happen, going over the state of affairs with my wife.”

Amelia nodded. “I’m sorry I gave such an impression in the past,” she said.

The duke waved his large hands. “No apologies necessary. It is quite good to see you are taking an interest in the affairs that affect this manor and the surrounding village. I am pleased.”

He was smiling down at her, and Amelia could not help the smile that started to tug at her own lips. “Thank you, Your Grace,” she said.

They resumed walking for the second time, and then the duke said, “You make a good point, actually. Giving some grain to the poorest people would go a long way.”

Amelia smiled, pleased to see he cared about her opinion. As a woman and a maid, she had been overlooked all her life. It was surprising and refreshing to see a highborn man, a duke for that matter, take her opinion into advisement.

“Are there any other things that I should know?” Amelia asked.

The duke appeared to hesitate before he revealed, “The estate’s finances have been rather bad.”

Amelia’s head shot up. “Really? Why?”

The Duke shrugged his broad shoulders. “I couldn’t tell you. My steward, Joel, has been with me for years. Unfortunately, he had a bout of sickness and had to leave last year. I had to employ a new lad, Paul, who seemed good with numbers. But I recently noticed that Paul appeared to be fiddling with the numbers.”

“How?” Amelia asked.

“Either by a mistake or no, the numbers don’t seem to add up. I realised this only recently, when I looked over the accounts while you were gone. He records more money than Joel did for simple household amenities.”

Amelia was impressed. She hadn’t known dukes paid that much attention to the running of their household. “Do you think he is stealing?” she asked.

“I couldn’t say,” he admitted. “He seems like an earnest and trustworthy lad, but then again, they all do.”

Amelia felt a sliver of guilt. The duke was beginning to trust her, as well.

“What are you going to do?”

“I’m considering a few options. I have not told him all that I have noticed yet, of course. I don’t want to catch him off-guard. Perhaps things have actually increased in value, as he recorded, but then again, the values were not even consistent.”

Amelia found herself getting more interested by the minute. “Perhaps I should look over the accounts with you, Your Grace. I might see something you missed.”

The duke looked slightly amused. “Forgive my astonishment, my lady, but I did not think women fancied looking over accounts.”

“All women are different, as you will find,” Amelia said. “Also, why would you think so?”

“My sister,” the duke said simply. “Before we were wed, I tried to lessen her boredom by making her look over accounts with me. I am aware this is not proper behaviour, particularly for an unmarried woman, but I just thought she’d like to learn some new skills. Her eyes glazed over all of the time, and once, she actually fell asleep over the books.”

Amelia let out a tinkering laugh. “I am quite different from Rebecca, as you know,” she said.

“I know that only too well,” the duke said. “Your tongue is a lot more ferocious than hers, although Rebecca appears to be learning from you quite well. Also, your embroidery could put any septa to bed with malaise.”

Amelia held a hand to her mouth, trying not to let the unladylike laughter that bubbled up her throat escape. “Your Grace, you wound me,” she said when she had regained control of her emotions.

The duke’s eyes were sparkling when he replied, “I rather thought this was an opportunity to tell ourselves the many skills we were lacking.”

“You thought wrong, Your Grace,” Amelia said, pulling a fake frown. “However, my proposal remains as yet unanswered.”

The duke gave a slight nod. “I would love to look things over with you, my lady,” he said.

Amelia smiled. “I’m sure we would have a lot of fun together.”

“Only if you amuse me with your ineptitude at numbers,” the duke said.

Amelia forced out a fake sigh. “Is this a battle of words, Your Grace? Shall I summon Rebecca? Perhaps she will concede to take my side and we shall destroy you together.”

The duke laughed. When Amelia had first heard him laugh, she had been surprised. She did not think he ever laughed. But the laughter seemed more natural coming out of him now. Lady Gillingham had probably not given him enough reasons to smile, Amelia thought, and his mirth had been stilled.

It was a good thing Amelia was here now.

“I apologise, my lady,” the duke said. “I only judge you through my sister’s abysmal performance. I’m sure you would do a better job than my steward.”

“Perhaps I should be given the role, then,” Amelia suggested playfully. “It seems to me there is not much a duchess does other than wear pretty gowns and eat amazing meals.”

“Except when the children start to come,” the duke said.

Amelia felt her stomach twist with anxiety. So, they were back to this particular conversation. She did not want to talk about it again, did not want to hear Ernest tell her about her duty to provide heirs. It was not her duty, not really. It was Lady Gillingham’s, and Lady Gillingham was not here.

Amelia had to find a way to stave off the duke for as long as she could. She could not risk getting pregnant for the duke. Apart from the fact that it would be glaringly obvious when the real Lady Gillingham returned, Amelia’s life would be completely ruined by having a child while she was unwed. That could not happen.

“Christiana, what’s wrong?” the duke said. Apparently, he had noticed the expression on her face.

Amelia shook her head and forced a smile on her face. “Nothing, Your Grace,” she said. “You’re right about the children, that’s all.”

The duke nodded, but Amelia knew he was still watching her. “Perhaps you need some rest?”

She shook her head. “I’m enjoying our conversation way too much to leave now,” she said.

“So am I,” the duke said, the honesty in his eyes plain for her to see.

Amelia felt her stomach bubble with warmth. “I suppose your steward will dislike me if I take over his position though,” she said, trying to change the topic back to their natural banter.

The duke nodded. “Yes, he will.” But he did not seem eager to continue in that line of conversation.

“Christiana,” he said suddenly. “I know the very act of trying for heirs is a major concern to you.”

Amelia blushed. “Yes, Your Grace,” she muttered. Of course she was a bit concerned about the act itself, but it was not the main bone of contention. The duke did not need to know that, though.

“I won’t come to your bed until you let me,” he said, his eyes boring into hers. “But I hope it shall be soon. I have every wish to fill our manor with the laughter of happy children.”

Amelia nodded. “Thank you, Your Grace.” She could not bear the intensity of his gaze on hers, and so she looked down, staring at his feet.

But the duke put a finger underneath her chin and lifted it up.

“Christiana,” he whispered.

She wanted to say his name, but she found out her throat was rather tight. Her heart started to beat painfully fast, as the duke took a step closer.

“Christiana,” he said again, as his head bent over hers.